Anybody out there have any hands on experience on performance and RELIABILITY of some of the newer brands of the 80-90cc quads. I've got a good idea about the Yamaha Badger, Suzuki LT 80 and Honda 90. Like the Honda the best but hate the thought of paying within a few hundred $ of a full size. I'm also tempted by elec. start. Mostly curious about Midwest Cheetah and E-ton 90 (I understand that Polaris has bought out E-ton) I'd be interested in any other brands as well. I'm looking for something that my boys can ride on the trails with me on day long rides. My 8 year old outgrew his LT 50 last year,besides it's more of a run around the yard bike.

Thanks, JB

 

here is a post I did back in August...

Well, this is the end for me on this topic but I hope it will continue for those
parents who are shopping in the future. After much consideration and on site
fitting, I finally purchased an Impuls90 for my son. We're quite happy with the
quad.

It is identical to the lt80 accept for wider a-arms and rear axle, but smaller
overall to the trx90. Price won over both machines which helped ease the
decision process.

The cvt tranny is very easy for the youngsters and has plenty of horses to run
it on hillclimbs. My sons only complaint is that the throttle is pretty tight
making it tough on extended rides. I also softened the suspension for a plush
ride. The tires are the same as the lt80, nicely aggressive.

Overall, I would recomend this quad for any child. It is very stable under most
conditions, has great power, oil injection, easy handling, room for mods and
makes for a huge smile!

 

It has been confirmed that Polaris is releasing a 50cc and 90cc line, but this post is the first that I have heard that Polaris bought E-ton. Can anyone confirm that the E-ton is the new Polaris lineup?

Also, Wal-Mart is now selling an 80cc model that strongly resembles the Suzuki LT80. They are selling it for $1688.00, but I have never heard any of it's origin or history. Anyone?

 

pairof98s - E-ton/polaris info came from a polaris dealer. Said that polaris was upgrading a few mechanical items to meet U.S. standards and possibly changing plastic to make it look like mini-polaris. So far this is only one source but do remember reading that E-ton flame arr. didn't meet specs.

Hadn't heard about the Wal-Mart LT80. Was this Wal-Mart or Sams? Off to Wally world to find out. One of the ATV mags. had a short a few months back about a LT50 clone (china or korea?).

JB

 

pairof98's - Our local Wal-Mart and Sams Don't sell ATV's. Could this be a tie in with a local company in your area. For example, for a while you could go to our Sams club and buy a Dodge Durango.

JB

 

Jay, the ATVs are in stores across the state of Oklahoma. A buddy of mine first saw them in Tulsa and now I've seen them here in OKC. Knowing Wal-Mart, this could be a test market to see how they do. I've also seen Wal-Mart selling trailers in this market. W-M has said "we don't want to be #1, we want to be the only one". I hope I won't have to go to Wal-Mart for my new Banshee (or other HP quad)!!!

 

Take a look at the new Suzuki 160cc 2x4. It costs around 3k new, has 5 speed auto clutch w/reverse.
Seems to me an 8 year old that outgrows his 50cc could handle a 160cc 2x4 machine. It sounds scary considering the speed which can be attained with a bigger machine -vs- the mentality, assimilations and reasoned consequences of an 8 year old. You be the judge because you know your child best. My 8 year old drives my 4x4 BB with me on the back but never in 10 years will I let him go it alone. Every thing you tell your child about safety, defensive driving, riding within your skill level, etc. will go by the wayside when they have a friend to show off to and THEN they forget that speed and carelessness kills.

Since you ride with your son, I think he'll learn
and experience the power of a larger machine and respect that after a ride or two.

 

pdavis - You bring up the main question - what size quad for a kid? While we all know that the current recommendations of age/cc's are too low, it's still hard to decide how big a bike is safe. I'm familiar with the Suzuki 160. It's a good looking bike, much more for your $ at 2999 vs. 2699 for a trx90. It would also be large enough for my wife to ride. The big drawback is the thought of a 62 lb. kid on a 160cc bike. Surely he could hit mid 40's mph! I also have two more boys (6 and 3) waiting in the wings. The six year old could handle an 80-90 today, but not a 160.
I let my 8 year old ride my King Quad solo, but only in a large open sandy area near my house and he is limited to 1st and 2nd gears, plus I stand in the middle of the circle that he runs. How do you feel about your son? If he rides your 4x4 with you on back, what size atv would you feel comfortable with? (BTW - what is a 4x4 BB?)

This brings me back to my original post. What I want is something large enough and reliable enough that my 2 older boys can each ride with me on trail rides. I'd like to get at least one before a planned ATV vacation in Wis. this June. With a prefered budget of <2000, the current top contender is a used trx90. My main interest is in the clones that are now hitting the market, most notably the Midwest Cheetah and E-ton 90. I've seen and ridden an E-ton and it looks pretty good, just haven't seen any tests on durability.
Anybody?

 

4x4 BB =00' Yamaha Big Bear 400 4x4.

You son is the same age and weight as my son and 40+ mph on a 4-wheeler whizzing by trees only a few feet away is scary at the least. You know your family's situation better than I do. I was only offering a suggestion for thought. A trx90 would perhaps be best for the family seeing that you have two more sons chomping at the bit to ride. It's too bad the fun toys cost sooo much money - even used.

I would let my son ride a 160 or even a Bayou 220
with his experience BUT...1. I would adjust the throttle limiter if the machine is equipped with one or have one installed; 2. Have him ride his machine several hours with me on my machine while working on his handling skills, i.e. braking, turning, up and down slope or minor hills and riding with others until I think he can handle the machine safely. I won't let him ride my 4x4 solo because he does not have the strength to turn in tight or emergency situatuions. Even after a day of riding, my neck and shoulders feel fatugued. A 2x4 is much easier to handle.

My son is very determined to buy his own atv and has been saving his hard earned $$$ to do so.

 

My above post (sorry for the large spacing...copy/paste)is a valid rendition of a test for the Eton...formerly Impuls. The machine is very strong and has good power and we still have not modded the exhaust restrictor. So far, have never heard of negative callbacks for either the 50 or the 90. I did alot of shopping between the trx90, lt80, and Eton. The latter two were almost identical accept for price. The honda was the coolest choice cause "the son wants one like dads" but the price ain't cool although it is a larger machine.

Stay away from the lt160! My wife had that for her orriginal bike and rolled backwards on a small hill. The weight balance is terrible and more towards the rear making a light front end and easy to pop up at a moments notice. A less experienced rider will have troubles with that one for sure.